SikhsIndia - Online Sikh News Channel : A wake up call for the Sikh Community with Sikh news, views, images, videos for the sikhs around the world. Links are being provided at the bottom of each news item with sole aim to generate awareness on SIKH ISSUES.

BARNALA: Sehajdhari Sikh Party president Paramjit Singh Ranu has said the party will seek votes for Sikh candidates of good moral values in the ensuing elections to Delhi Sikh Gurdwara managing committee(DSGMC).

The DSGMC elections are to be held in January 2013.

Ranu said "after Punjab and Haryana's high court verdict of restoring
voting right to Sehajdharis and no stay granted by the Supreme Court in
an SLP by SGPC, Sehajdharis stand allowed to take part in DSGMC
elections".

Ranu clarified that those who are baptized after
partaking Amrit are the Amritdharis and all others who are followers of
Guru Granth sahib and are non-baptized are the Sehajdharis irrespective
of unshorn hairs or shaved beards.

He claimed about 85% of
total Sikh population across the world comprises non-baptized Sikhs and
ignoring them in Gurdwara elections is unjustified.

Ranu said
that a five members committee which includes Haryana unit president,
Darshan Singh Gurgaon, youth wing presidents, Jagtar Singh Hissowal,
Jagtar Singh Dhaliwal, Manjit Singh Sanghera and Advocate Ranjit Singh
has been constituted to study the election scene at Delhi.

This team will identify good candidates for the elections and will plan the election strategy.

RWAs film violators’ videos, Upload on website : East Delhi RWAs Joint Front, a Federation of RWAs, has come up with a novel idea to fight against violation of traffic rules and illegal entry of commercial vehicles in various residential colonies of east Delhi.

With this unique initiative, the RWAs areas are using video cameras as their weapons to store live footage of commercial vehicles that are illegally plying 24*7 in the inner lanes of the residential colonies. Besides this, they are also filming videos of the areas where traffic is out of control due to the absence of traffic police officials. Initially, RWAs of Geeta Colony and Krishna Nagar took a step forward and raised their issues through this campaign.

Residents of the area also taking active part in this campaign and helping the RWAs in successful conduction of this campaign. At present, overloaded heavy vehicles pass through residential roads of Geeta Colony and Krishna Nagar at any given time. But, the Traffic Police have fixed a time schedule and restrcuted the entry of commercial vehicles here. The timings are 8 to 11 in the morning and 5 to 8 in the evening but evidently, nobody follows the rule. "These drivers park their heavy trucks in the colony roads in a haphazard manner and create problems for us. Traffic police officials stand on the road but never issue challans. We made 2-3 videos of the trucks plying in our area in the morning and evening and uploaded them on the traffic police’s website,” said Madhu Khura, a resident of Geeta Colony.

The residents feel that many people have lost their lives in road rage but the traffic police least bothered. At many signals, traffic cops are missing which leads to accidents. BS Vohra, president of the federation shared, "This is a common problem in Delhi and should be checked by the authority. We have spotted various areas of east Delhi where violation of traffic rules are very common. We are filming videos and uploading them on Delhi Traffic Police’s Facebook page. Recently, one of my very close friends met with a road accident and died on the spot near Krishna Nagar when a commercial vehicle hit him and escaped from the area. That was the moment, I decided to start this campaign and I hope this will help in saving many innocent lives.”

“We have also collected many evidences where traffic rules are getting violated every now and then. Besides uploading these video on authority websites, we have also fixed an appointment with the ACP of our area to show case what we have done so far to check the traffic problem in the various area of east Delhi,” he added.

Within a short span of time, this campaign has brought many positive responses from the authority. Initially many traffic cops were missing at various junctions of Nirman Vihar, disused canal road, Laxmi Nagar road that leads to Jhilmil Colony but after this initiative traffic cops have woken up and started working actively in the area. Another positive response is that a traffic light is going to be installed near Happy School.
"We are getting support from the residents and we are happy that traffic cops have started taking us seriously and working to solve our woes," Vohra added.

"The colonies are congested and it is difficult to keep a track on entry of illegal vehicles. This is good initiative by the residents. RWAs showed us the video of illegal entry of heavy trucks in Geeta Colony and Krishna Nagar and we took strict action.Basant Kumar, Traffic head constable "

His name was Ravinder Singh Saluja, though known as RAVI BHARTI. A Reporter with AAJTAK TV Channel. He used to cover East Delhi. In a short span of 3 years, we became too close. We used to speak many a times daily on various news stories. Even on that fateful day, we spoke just half an hour before his death.Than i got the message that he is no more. It was all shocking. I was
shivering. I ran towards Hegdewar hospital, uncovered his face &
yeah it was Ravi and he was no more. SHOCKING. UNBELIEVABLE. Lost a real
friend. Though very tragic, but his wife donated all of his body parts.

TODAY, on FB, i got a message from Mr Hora about a similar incident in Jallandhar on that very day i.e. 21st November, 2012. I have uploaded it on SIKHSINDIA just to request to the general public that PLEASE DRIVE CAREFULLY. IT MAY COST SOMEONE HIS LIFE.

Friday, December 14, 2012

NEW DELHI: The
Supreme Court has rejected Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee
(DSGMC) plea to extend the deadline for extending the deadline for
elections by six months. The polls will be held by December 31 as
ordered by the Apex Court earlier.

A
bench of Justices Anil Dave and RM Lodha ordered for the elections
saying there “is no justification now for granting extension of time”
adding that the Gurdwara Committee had already been granted three months
earlier on September 17, 2012.

DSGMC’s
counsel senior Advocate Soli Sorabjee urged the bench to postpone the
election till June 30 as the Delhi Government was in the process of
amending the Delhi Gurdwara Act 1971.

It
may be recalled that after the amendments come to effect, the tenure of
the DSGMC president will increase from two to four years and the Sikh
community will be able to elect the president directly. The move will
put an end to the horse-trading and corruption prevalent in the
committee as the President will be accountable to the electorate and
also be able to work on the developmental agenda of the committee.

Meanwhile,
counsels Gurbaksh Singh and Abhinash Mishra appearing for Dashmesh Sewa
Society argued that the DSGMC plea was nothing but a ploy to retain
control over gurdwara affairs.

The
Bench directed that ‘elections must be held’ by December 31 adding that
the amendment can continue as it is.The Court also said that the
amendment of the Gurdwara Act cannot be cited as an explanation for
seeking relaxation in time.DSGMC
pleaded that as the poll procedure will take at least six weeks,
however, the Apex Court was not persuaded, the applicants withdrew the
application.

Punjab
Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal patron and his son and party
president Sukhbir Singh Badal have ever since opposed the amendment in
the Gurdwara Act terming it as interference of the Congress in the
religious affairs of the Sikh community.

It
needs no mention here the proximity of DSGMC and Delhi Akali Dal
president Paramjit Singh Sarna to Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dixit.The
Badals’ opposition to the amendment is being seen as their fear that a
similar demand might gain momentum in Punjab where Sikhs might seek
direct election of SGPC president who is till now decided by the Badals.

Bikramjit Singh who was expelled from school in France for refusing to remove his turban

Paris, France, 14 Dec 2012 –

The UN Human Rights Committee has ruled that France's ban on the wearing of "conspicuous" religious symbols in schools - introduced in a law adopted in March 2004 - violated a Sikh student's right to manifest his religion, protected by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). In a decision that was sent out this week to the UNITED SIKHS legal team, in relation to a complaint made by Bikramjit Singh in 2008, the Committee accepted that the wearing of a turban is regarded as a religious duty for a Sikh and is also tied in with his identity; and that France had not justified the prohibition on the wearing of the turban.

The Committee accepted that the France was entitled to uphold the principle of secularism (laïcité), a means by which a State party might seek to protect the religious freedom of all its population; it recognised that the adoption of the 2004 law had responded to actual incidents of interference with the religious freedom of pupils and sometimes even threats to their physical safety.

However, the Committee went on to express the opinion that this was not enough to justify the interference with religious rights that the law represented. France had "not furnished compelling evidence that by wearing his keski (small turban) [Bikramjit] would have posed a threat to the rights and freedoms of other pupils or to order at the school. The Committee also considered that the penalty of permanent exclusion had not been shown to be necessary; and that it had been imposed not because of any harmful conduct by Bikramjit, but because he belonged to a broad category of people by their religious conduct. In the Committee's view, France had not shown "how the sacrifice of those persons' rights is either necessary or proportionate to the benefits achieved".

Less than a year ago, the UNHRC had also concluded that France had violated the religious freedom of 76 year old Ranjit Singh when he was asked to remove his turban for his ID photograph. A UN decision is still awaited for Shingara Singh, whose passport has not been renewed by France because he refused to remove his turban for his ID photograph.

Mejindarpal Kaur, UNITED SIKHS International Legal Director told a media conference in Paris today: "Laicite or secularity is not an end in itself; it is a means to an end. The end that laicite must achieve is freedom, equality and fraternity. Likewise the Turban is a means to an end and Sikhs in France will continue to wear the turban so they may work towards a society that is free, fair and for the good of all mankind."

"We now look to France to fulfil its treaty obligations under International law. It also has a moral duty to ensure that the freedom of religion and belief is upheld for everyone who lives within its territory," she added.

Stephen Grosz of London solicitors Bindmans, who was instructed by UNITED SIKHS to represent Bikramjit Singh, said: "The UN Human Rights Committee is the first international body examine the substantive merits of France's ban on religious symbols and clothing in schools. In this significant ruling, it has made clear that the prohibition is unjustified. France must now prevent similar violations in future, and in particular, the Committee said that it should review the law of 2004 that imposed the ban. France must also provide Bikramjit Singh with a remedy, including appropriate compensation. France has 180 days to explain to the Committee how it proposes to give effect to the decision.

Bikramjit Singh, whose religious rights the UN decided had been violated, said, "I am very pleased with the UN's decision and would like to reassure the French government that we are in favour of secularity, in its true sense. The Sikh turban stands for liberty, equality and fraternity because the right to wear a Turban is open to all - men and women, rich and poor.

"In fact, the Turban is a symbol of laicite- it does not discriminate. The Turban is not a sign of oppression. It's a practice of freedom," added Bikramjit Singh, who after being expelled from school, completed his education privately and is now a project engineer with an engineering firm in Paris.

President of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, Paramjit Singh said in a telephone interview: "Bikramjit Singh is an Indian national and it should have been the responsibility of the Indian government to protect his religious freedom abroad so that he and other Sikhs were not banned from wearing the turban in French public schools. Instead it took an NGO, UNITED SIKHS, to take up and win this case at the UN. We are very proud of UNITED SIKHS and congratulate the global Sikh community for the victory at the UN. I will personally ensure that this issue is raised at the Indian Parliament to ensure that France complies with the UN's decision and reverses the ban on the turban in schools".

"Religion and politics are two wheels that balance civil society. If one wheel comes off, society ceases to be stable. Laicite or secularism is the oil that ensures that the two wheels keep moving. Sikhs do not see laicite as the enemy. We see it as our friend to help us be good citizens." Said Shingara Singh, UNITED SIKHS-France Director.

"Our stand for the turban will not only benefit France but the whole world. It is not a coincidence that this battle of the turban is being fought in France - a country that lives by laicite. The Turban will show the world that the true meaning of laicite can only be achieved if its people are allowed to be free to practice their faith," said Gurdial Singh of the Turban Action Committee of France, who has been defending campaign relentlessly.

Considered to be a major milestone in the history of
Indian banking, Cheque Truncation System (CTS) aims to make cheque
clearance more efficient and reduce the clearance time of cheques to one
day, thereby trimming down the floating time considerably. India
processes as many as 1.2 billions cheques annually and therefore, the
implementation of this system would drastically cut down the waiting
period involved. The system will be implemented nationwide from January
1, 2013.

CTS cheque sample

How does it work?

An
online image-based cheque clearing system, the collecting bank branch
would deploy scanned images along with the magnetic ink character (MICR)
of the cheque which will be sent out electronically using their Capture
System, removing the need for physical/manual transfer of cheques. The
captured images and the data is then signed and encrypted and sent to
the Clearing House or the central processing location and thereafter
forwarded to the drawee or paying bank.

This helps speed up the cheque collection process that eventually helps provide better and faster customer service.

Key Features of Cheque Truncation System

User friendly graphic user interface

Automated coding and endorsing of cheques

Encryption of data file before transmission to the clearing house or the service branch

Employs a unique transaction follower process to confirm the status of cheque

In
cases where customers have issues post-dated cheques (PDC) for payment
of monthly installments towards an ongoing loan, they would need to
issue fresh cheques to the bank or service provider as per the new
directive on CTS by the RBI. The replacement of these cheques needs to
be done latest by December 31, 2012 and is applicable on all banks and
NBFCs.

Encashment of Old Cheques

If you
have an old cheque with you, you should get it encashed by December 31,
2012. The RBI mandate states that payments for such cheques will be
honoured only till then.

Banks need to issue the new types of
CTS-compliant cheque books with the prescribed features to all their
customers latest by December 31, 2012. Customers may need to surrender
their old cheque books or cancel them and show proof of cancellation. No
replacement fee will be charged by the bank for issuing new cheque
books

Apart from these aspects, the system does not, in any way,
affect the way things function for a customer. They would continue using
cheques as they do currently; however, cheques that have been altered
or modified will not be permissible under the new system. The other
precautions that need to be taken while issuing or writing a cheque are:

Ensure that all details are clear and readable, using black or blue ink

Write the name of the payee, amount and the date and sign the cheque correctly.

In case you use seals on the cheque, ensure that they are imprinted
in a manner that they do not mask or hide the other important fields of
the cheque.

Benefits of CTS for Customers

There are many benefits of the cheque truncation system from the perspective of a customer.

Clearance cycle gets shortened - As this system is being
implemented, the physical or manual movement of cheques for clearance
has ceased. With cheques being transmitted electronically, the
settlement process becomes quicker, facilitating reduction in the
clearance cycle.

The fear of loss of cheques during transfer from the collecting bank to the drawee or payee bank is eliminated.

Limitations of the current clearance system with respect to
jurisdiction and geography are eradicated. This enables integration and
consolidation of several clearing locations across various banks
offering different service levels into one standard clearance system
applicable throughout the country.

CTS helps reduce the scope of fraud significantly. Moreover, the
electronic transmission is quick and allows early detection of fraud or
any alteration with respect to the payee, amount or the issuer of the
cheque. CTS prescribe minimum security features under ‘CTS-2010
standards’ along with superior verification process that further
facilitates in the reduction of frauds.

The operational efficiency of both the bank as well as the customer is enhanced with the introduction of this system.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

UNITED SIKHS Projects Lead Pushpinder Singh presenting to TSA employees

UNITED SIKHS volunteersconducted TSA Awareness events at North Carolina airports. They met with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in Charlotte Douglas Airport (North Carolina) to educate TSA staff about Sikh culture and identity,so that Sikh articles of faith are correctly identified and proper procedures can be followed at the Airports.

The meeting took place in response to a recent spike in incidents of profiling of Sikhs at Charlotte Douglas Airport. It was coordinated by TSA’s diversity committee to provided an excellent platform to outline some of the common problems and challenges faced by the Sikh community because of their unique identity. TSA employees also had the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the Sikh community.

The recent terrorist threats against the United States have resulted in increased levels of security and heightened passenger screening at airports. Sikhs have reported being subjected to increased screening measures due to a lack of understanding about Sikh articles of faith. Mr. David Wray, Federal Security Director and head of TSA Charlotte began the meeting by saying, “Knowledge about other cultures dispels fears about them”. Ms.Sandra Holding, Assistant Federal Security Director of Law Enforcement noted, “Sometimes seeing, holding and feeling articles of faith makes a big difference and enhances media based training. The knowledge stays in the mind longer”.

Ms. Ana Bosnjak wearing a turban. Mr. David Wray and other TSA employees

It was an immensely valuable educational experience for TSA employees and UNITED SIKHS members to have such a productive dialogue about the Sikh articles of faith. TSA employees got first-hand experience holding and feeling a Kirpan.The TSA employees asked several questions regarding the Turban and Sikh Symobls.

"Personal interaction satisfies curiosity”, said Damanvir Kaur, a volunteer.TSA’s training department offered to continue to work with the community to supplement media training with personal interactions and Q&A sessions.

Jatinderpal Singh Bhullar (from West Bromwich and is in F Company Scots Guards ) was pictured taking part in the Changing of the Guard sporting the turban.25 year Old Sikh has made history by becoming the first soldier to guard the Queen in Buckingham Palace without wearing the traditional bearskin.

Jatinderpal Singh said ''Sikhs have served Britain in World War I and II with their turbans intact, confirming their commitment towards righteousness and serving others and living their identity till their last breath.I applaud the British Army for being appreciative and respectful towards diversity. This is The best thing in my life”. Conducting public duties while practicing Sikhism and wearing my turban is a great honor for me .I am very proud to be a member of the Household Division and to be the first Sikh Guardsman to mount guard in a turban will be the best thing in my life, especially as a member of the Scots Guards .The regiment is full of history, as is my religion.”

Jatenderpal Singhshaking hands with Major Rick Fletcher (Slough ACIO) after taking the oath of allegiance.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

GURDASPUR/AMRITSAR: In
another shameful incident denting further the image of Shiromani Akali
Dal which is still reeling from criticism over Wednesday's murder of an
Assistant Sub Inspector in Amritsar by its leader, a kin of party'sYouth
Wing today bashed up a traffic policeman in Gurdaspur.

The accused has been identified as Inderpal Singh, Akali leader Paramjit Singh Laddi’s nephew. The incident took place in full public view following an argument between the head constable Gurnam Singh and the traffic cop.

Laadi's
nephew allegedly tore the uniform of the policeman on duty. The accused
has been booked on the charges of obstructing a public servant from
discharging his duty under sections 186 and 332 (for voluntarily causing
injury to public servant to obstruct him from discharging his duty).

The
incident came close on the heels of the high-headedness and blatant
abuse of power when an ASI in Amritsar was shot dead by an Akali leader
in broad day light and in full public view.

On
December 5, ASI Ravinderpal Singh, who had protested against the
eve-teasing of his daughter by the general secretary of Amritsar urban
unit of SAD Ranjjit Singh Rana and his associates, was gunned down in
broad day light. The incident led to a huge public outcry in the
country, denting the image of the ruling party in the state which was
accused of recruiting youth with shady credentials into the party and
promoting him into the top official slot in the organisation for
rendering 'services' to the party.

Days after an Akali Dal general secretary allegedly killed a police
officer in Amritsar city, a villager was kidnapped and hacked to death
in Amritsar district, allegedly by a local leader of the party. Amarjit
Singh, Akali supporter and sarpanch of Nangal village, the main accused
in the crime, is on the run.

The local Congress MLA, Harpartap Singh Ajnala, said Amarjit is the
general secretary of the block unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

The SAD — which is already under pressure following the Amritsar
policemen’s death — has denied that Amarjit holds a post in the party or
is even a member.

On Saturday night, Amarjit, along with 10 others, attacked the
farmhouse of one Gurpreet Singh Gopi in the outskirts of the village. He
was dragged out of his bed and taken to Amarjit’s house, where the men
set upon him with a spear, said a police officer.

Thereafter, the sarpanch summoned policemen from the Ajnala police
station and told them that he had beaten up Gopi as he had scaled the
boundary wall and trespassed into his house, Harpratap said.

The man was admitted to the civil hospital in Ajnala with multiple
injuries and was later referred to a hospital in Amritsar. But on Monday
morning, he died at a private nursing home in the city. Officers of the
local police said it was a matter of personal enmity.

“A case has been registered against Amarjit and 10 others at the
Ajnala police station. But all the men named in the FIR are absconding,”
said PS Virk, senior superintendent of police, Amritsar (rural).

Condemning the incident, Harpartap, who is also the district Congress
committee chief of Amritsar, said this was yet another instance of the
power Akali goons wield. Pointing out how the police had failed to take
Amarjit into custody on the spot, he demanded a detailed inquiry into
the case.

LUDHIANA: Leading businessman of the city Ranjodh Singh, president of Ramgarhia Educational Council and Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi, presented the first copy of his book 'Nankana Sahib and Sikh Shrines in Pakistan' to the Prime Minister during the latter's visit to Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).

Ranjodh said, "The valuable book comprises a vivid description of
Gurdwara Sri Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Sri Baal Lila Sahib and other Sikh
shrines related to the life of Guru Nanak Dev. This book is written in
three languages English, Hindi and Punjabi." "It is replete with
illustrative pictures of the shrines. This book will serve as a strong
link for the whole Sikh community, creating awareness among them about
the rich Sikh religious heritage in Pakistan."

Monday, December 10, 2012

Gurdwara Act is crucial to hold the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management
Committee elections, which the Supreme Court wants before December 31.

The Delhi government is pushing hard to pass the much-debated and
amended Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Act in the Assembly winter session,
beginning Tuesday.

The legislation is important because it will set the norms for
elections to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC). The
Supreme Court had ordered elections to the DSGMC before December 31.

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had criticised
the amendments to the Act, alleging that the Congress government in
Delhi was “meddling” with religious affairs of the Sikhs and trying to
foist its loyalists into the gurdwara committee.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit refuted the allegations. “We have
proposed changes to the Act to increase transparency and would like to
hold elections to the DSGMC under the amended Act. The elections will be
held before the deadline of December 31, but we might ask the Supreme
Court to give us more time if required,” she said.

She said the amendments would be tabled in the winter session of the Assembly.

Senior Delhi government officials said Lieutenant-Governor
Tejendra Khanna last week gave his consent to the amendments and sent
the returned the file to the government. “We will now send it to the
Union Home Ministry, which has to clear the amendments before they can
be tabled in the Assembly,” an official said.

The amendments seek to directly elect the DSGMC president. At present, members of the executive elect the committee chief.

Come, share the joy of our children at Guru Harkrishan Public School, Hargobind Enclave. We have a very creative set of teachers who ensure that the atmosphere of the school generates a sense of happiness and joy in the process of learning.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

NEW YORK: As the Sikh community in the US makes efforts to recover
from the tragedy of the Gurudwara shooting, a Harvard professor has said
Sikhs have emerged as a role model for Americans who can learn from the dignity and generosity the community.

"Most Americans still know little of the Sikh Americans whose history
in the United States, dating to the early 20th century, is now firmly
part of our common history."

"While we catch up on our basic education, however, it is important
to know that Sikhs share three distinctly and deeply American values --
the importance of hard work, a commitment to human equality, and the
practice of neighbourly hospitality," Harvard University professor of Comparative Religion and Indian Studies Diana Eck said in an editorial in the Dallas Morning News.

Eck said if the gunman Michael Wade Page had been simply a neighbour or
a local visitor, he would have been warmly welcomed by the community
and served food in the gurudwara.

The assailant would have
"discovered a religious community so confident and expansive in its
hospitality that it would embrace a complete stranger".

In the
face of immense tragedy after the shooting, Sikhs still offered the food
they had prepared to the hundreds of emergency workers, police officers
and staff who surrounded the temple.

"The dignity and generosity
of the Sikh community in the wake of this violence remind us just how
much we have to learn from these neighbors," Eck added.

Eck said
no other religious community demonstrates the meaning of hospitality as
abundantly as the Sikhs, noting that the huge, "industrial-size
kitchens" in gurudwaras prepare food for community members and strangers
alike.

"This hospitality is not just a gesture; it is
foundational to the Sikh faith. Eating together is what knits the Sikh
community together and breaks down the barriers that divide the wider
human community," Eck said adding that eating together symboliSes a
Sikh's personal rejection of discrimination and prejudice.

"Sikhs
remind us that eating together is one of the important liturgies of the
human community, for people of every faith and none," the professor
said.

Six members of the Sikh community were killed in the Wisconsin gurudwara on August 5 when Page opened fire as they were getting ready for Sunday morning prayers. Page was wounded by a police officer and died from a self-inflicted gun shot wound to the head.

The shooting shocked the peaceful Sikh community, which received wide spread support and sympathy.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Our Salute to ASI Ravinder pal singh ji who was killed in Amritsar by local Akali leaders while he was trying to save his daughter from eve teasers & molesters. Our deepest condolences to the family of ASI Ravinder pal singh ji.

The daughter of a Punjab Police officer, who was shot dead by a ruling
Shiromani Akali Dal leader in full public view on Wednesday, said she
would kill the accused if he is brought before her.
"Bring him before me. I will shoot and kill him like he did to my
helpless father. No one came to help us as he (the accused) attacked us," the daughter of
slain Assistant Sub-Inspector Ravinder Pal Singh said in Amritsar on
Thursday.

ASI Ravinder Pal Singh was allegedly shot dead by Ranjit Singh Rana, a
general secretary of the Amritsar district Akali Dal, and his
accomplices in Chheharta area on outskirts of the city after he objected
to his daughter being subjected to their harassment on Wednesday. Rana
had been stalking the ASI's daughter for the last few days.

Sobbing continuously, the victim said that no one from the public
came to help her and her father as Rana continued to shoot and assault
them.

"After he shot at my father with his rifle, my father collapsed. Rana
then hit me and I fell on my father. He kept kicking and hitting us in
full public glare. I cried and pleaded for help but everyone ran away.
Even when the ambulance came, I had to lift my father into it as no one
came to help me," she said.

She said that the same gang, led by Rana had harassed her on December
1 also and she had complained to the nearby police station. "However,
no one listened. Had police acted on that day, my father would have been
alive today," she said.

About Wednesday's shooting, the victim said that after her father
confronted Rana and his accomplices, Rana took out a pistol and shot her
father in the leg. She also received gunshot wounds on the hand.

"After that, he ran away and I rushed my father to the hospital in my
car. They came back with a rifle after some time and as my father came
out of the car, he (Rana) shot him. We didn't even know him or had any
enmity. I want justice," the victim said.

Rana and his accomplice were arrested on Thursday over the killing
while two other men continued to elude the police. The police officer
was in uniform when he was attacked by Rana.

Punjab director general of police Sumedh Singh Saini told media in
Amritsar that police had swung into action immediately after Wednesday's
killing and arrested the main accused. Three weapons, all licensed,
were recovered from them.

Punjab Police on Thursday dismissed a station house officer (SHO) for
dereliction of duty a day after an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) was
shot dead by a ruling Shiromani Akali Dal leader near Amritsar.

ASI Ravinder Pal Singh was allegedly shot dead by Ranjit Singh Rana, general secretary of Amritsar district Akali Dal, and his accomplices
in Chheharta area on the outskirts of the city after he (ASI) objected
to his daughter being harassed by them Wednesday.

Rana had been stalking the ASI's daughter for the last few days.

Rana and his accomplice were arrested on Thursday for the ASI's killing while two other men continued to elude the police.

The police officer was in uniform when he was attacked by Rana. The
accused fired at and injured the ASI and his daughter after the officer
confronted them for harassing his daughter.

After some time, Rana and his accomplices returned with more weapons and shot him in the chest, leaving him dead.

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini told
mediapersons here that police swung into action immediately after
Wednesday's killing and arrested the main accused. Three weapons, all
licensed, were also recovered.

He said the accused, who were first confronted by a police party at Sohal village near here, were fired upon.

"Police were able to corner them and arrest them at Rajoke village in Tarn Taran district," Saini said.

"Our colleague has been shot dead. We are taking this incident very seriously. We will get the accused punished," he said.

Saini admitted that Chheharta SHO had shown dereliction of duty and a decision was taken to dismiss him from service.

He said the ASI's daughter had complained to the police station about
being harassed by the youth but the SHO did not take any action. The
officer was suspended Wednesday.

"If any child complains to police, the police official has to take
action. Yesterday (Wednesday), we suspended the SHO. After further
enquiries, we have dismissed him," Saini said.

However, Akali Dal leaders washed their hands of the entire incident
saying the killing of the ASI was an "individual act" of Rana.

"We have expelled him from the party. This was his individual act. We
cannot foresee what a particular leader may do in the future. The Akali
Dal has nothing to do with it," Punjab's Revenue Minister Bikram Singh
Majithia told reporters.

Majithia is the brother-in-law of Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal.

Police officials in the area had failed to reach the spot of the
shooting even 30 minutes after the incident. The incident took place
near Chheharta police station, on the outskirts of Amritsar city, 250 km
from state capital Chandigarh.

Amritsar Police on Thursday arrested Shiromani Akali Dal leader
Ranjit Singh Rana and an accomplice on charges of killing Assistant
Sub-Inspector Ravinder Pal Singh after he had objected to them harassing
his daughter.

Police Commissioner Ram Singh said Rana was
arrested from the border belt of Amritsar district on Thursday morning
along with another accused.

Rana had been stalking Ravinder Pal
Singh's daughter for the last few days. Two other accused in the killing
of Ravinder Pal are absconding.

The incident took place on
Wednesday afternoon near the Chhehrata police station, which is on the
outskirts of Amritsar city, 250 km from Chandigarh.

Ravinder Pal's
daughter had complained that some youth used to harass her. The ASI
objected to this and confronted the youth. Following an argument, Rana
fired at him and his daughter and left them injured.

Witnesses
said Rana and his accomplices came back to the spot in a jeep later and
shot Ravinder Pal Singh in the chest from close range.

The latter was rushed to a private hospital where he was declared dead.

The Akali Dal expelled Rana, who is a general secretary of the district unit of the party. (ANI)

New
Delhi-6th December- S. Paramjit Singh Sarna, President Delhi Sikh
Gurdwara Management Committee & Shiromani Akali Dal Delhi in a press
statement here today has demanded resignation of Deputy C.M. & Home
Minister of the State S. Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was badly failed in
maintaining the law and order in the state especially to protect the honour of
our daughters. Such shameful incidents should not be taken lightly. S. Sukhbir
Singh Badal has been promoting and patronizeing anti social, Goonda elements
and criminals in their party to create terror amongst the people of Punjab from
restraining them to oppose their tyrannical rule in the state.

Mr.
Sarna while condemning the broad day light cold blooded murder of ASI
Ravinderpal Singh in the hands of the Akali leader Ranjit Singh Rana on
opposing and restraining them from molestation of his daughter. He said that
goonda culture prevailing in the state was offshoot of the change in complexion
of the Badal Dal under the leadership of S. Sukhbir Singh Badal and is responsible
for changing the basic Panthik character of the Shiromani Akali Dal.

Mr.
Sarna further said that recently, Nishan Singh also worker of Badal Dal took
away an innocent girl from her home forcibly after thrashing her parents and
now Akali leader shot dead the ASI because the latter attempted to protect the
honour of his daughter, speaks that “the power has gone to the heads of youth
activists within Akali rank and there is no one to rein such hooligans. The
membership card of the Badal Dal itself has become a license to do all immoral
and illegal acts. The red beacons and VVIP stickers on the vehicles of youth
Akalis' mock the ordinary citizens.

If
this has happened to a police officer’s daughter, how do you expect the
security of the Daughters of other people in the state of Punjab? We talk of “NANI
CHHA” this has exposed the hollowness’ of the state and the ruling party. Community
wants to know the action taken against the culprits so that reoccurrence of
such incidents should not be done in their wildest dreams.

Mr.
Sarna said that in Delhi also their local leaders with their Goons had tried to
create nuisance at Gurdwara Bala Sahib and to disturb the Executive Board
meeting of the committee at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib by crashing the gate and
forcibly entry in the office of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee.
The Sikhs of Delhi and world over will not at all tolerate the hooliganism of
the Badal Dal.

Mr.
Sarna appealed all the Akali Dals in Punjab to forget all their party differences
and should collectively protest against S. Sukhbir Singh Badal and compelled
him to resign for the portfolio of Deputy C.M. & Home Minister of the
State.

Mr.
Sarna on behalf of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee & Shiromani
Akali Dal Delhi expressed their condolences and grief with the family members
of the victim.